Dear Imaging & CAD/CAM Insider,
A growing body of research has shown that ultrasound imaging has a promising future as a hard and soft tissue diagnostic tool for dentistry.
Despite its many advantages over other modalities, however -- including being noninvasive, inexpensive, and painless -- few dentists are aware of the full utility of this nonionizing imaging tool, according to a new study in Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology.
Read about the many potential uses for ultrasonography in dentistry in this latest Insider Exclusive.
In other imaging news, some restorative and orthodontic materials are not compatible with the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in dental patients, according to a new study in Dentomaxillofacial Radiology. The researchers imaged more than a dozen products to determine MRI compatibility and magnetic susceptibility.
And MRI offers several advantages over conventional radiography when diagnosing dental abnormalities in children and for orthodontic treatment and surgical planning, according to a study in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Meanwhile, what if you could take continuous moving x-rays of your patients during endoscopic or implant procedures without exposing them to higher doses of radiation? That's the promise of fluoroscopy, an imaging technology that's been a standard in medicine for more than 100 years -- although not so much in dentistry. But that could soon change. Read more.
On the clinical front, taking cone-beam CT scans prior to orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning is warranted for patients with unerupted teeth or severe root resorption, according to a study in the American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics.
In a related story, dental practitioners need to make sure they use age-appropriate settings when performing cone-beam CT scans on adult and pediatric patients, according to researchers from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Finally, looking much like a cross between a postgame analysis on ESPN and a Macworld product release event, Sirona launched its new CAD/CAM for Everyone campaign this month to showcase its range of digital impressioning products and to demonstrate how this technology has become affordable for any dental practice. Click here to read more, and watch this exclusive video from the event.
